The new cable drama "Dr. Frost" follows two current k-drama trends. First, the drama concerns a character with mental problems and/or a medical background and second, it's based on a popular webtoon. The drama's leading character, Dr. Frost, is a prodigy who became a psychologist at a very early age but has some trouble relating to people. He is called Dr. Frost both because he has frosty white hair and because he cannot sympathize with others, which might create some problems when helping people cope with their problems.
Dr. Baek Nam Bong, played by Song Chang Eui, feels neither empathy nor love nor sorrow. But he has excellent deductive skills so he is good at guessing the cause of a patient's problems.
Dr. Frost's problems relate date back to a physical injury in which he damaged the frontal lobe of his brain. His day job is working as a counselor at a university campus but at night he works as a bartender.
During his day job, he works with a cheerful volunteer named Yoon Sung A, played by Jung Eun Chae. She's an enthusiastic problem solver and her ability to empathize almost makes up for his. Together they make a good team. And she may help him find what he lacks in life, like namely someone to love.
The cast also includes Lee Joon Yi as Baek Nam Bong's former classmate, who now works as a professor. Lee Joon Yi's character loves and hates Baek Nam Bong at the same time. Choi Jung Woo plays Chun Sang Won, Baek Nam Bong's mentor and biggest supporter. He's the director of the department of psychology at Yong Kang University.
"Dr. Frost" is not just a medical drama. It's also a mystery. Nam Bong uses his first-rate deductive skills to help veteran detective Nam Tae Bong, played by Sung Ji Roo, solve a case.
The weekend drama is based on Lee Jong Bum's webtoon of the same name, which was first serialized on Naver. But, says the drama's director, the actors' efforts may give it an extra dimension.
"As much as the drama has already received attention due to the high popularity of its webtoon original, all of the actors and actresses deeply analyzed the individual characters and their willingness to give it their all is strong," said director Sung Yong Il of CJ E&M. "I have a good feeling about this drama.
Song Chang Eui was last seen in "Thrice Married Woman" and "The Great Seer." Jung Eun Chae appears this year in the films "The Fatal Encounter" and "Hill of Freedom." "Dr. Frost" began airing this week.
